Via Rutkowski 
Last fall, Jersey City resident and talented Chef Bryan Girón opened Perquín, a Honduran restaurant that instantly impressed locals and became a go-to for Taco Tuesdays, flavorful cocktails, and some of the freshest seafood dishes around. After Perquín’s first fun-filled summer, the team got news that its building was going up for sale to make way for a new development, forcing the restaurant to close on short notice in September of 2025. Less than a month later, Perquín was able to reopen its doors at 84 ½ Morris Street in Jersey City, just across the street from its old location, with a new spin on the classics first introduced at Perquín, now with a more convenient grab-and-go style for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Read on to learn more about Perquín’s story and everything its new space has to offer.
Behind The Scenes
Chef Bryan Girón grew up in Bayonne surrounded by food that acted as a love language. He recalls the dishes and juices his grandmother made in Honduras, which he says “spoiled” him, but in ways that reflect proudly in his food today. He studied Culinary Arts at Johnson + Wales University in both Miami and Providence, Rhode Island, and went on to work in several restaurants throughout his career, including popular New York City spots Stanton Social, Beauty & Essex, Barbuto, and Shukette. He even worked as a line cook at Jersey City’s own Bread + Salt.
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Bryan credits his former boss and owner of Bread + Salt, Rick Easton, as part of his inspiration to open a restaurant of his own. Bryan told HG, “I always think of him when I’m cooking and know not to take any shortcuts,” as that is something Rick would be able to detect right away. Now, Bryan jokes that he always hears Rick’s voice in his head as he creates new dishes. Bryan shared that working for Rick at Bread + Salt was one of the proudest culinary experiences in his repertoire.
Even though Chef Bryan was raised on Latin food, his experience cooking it himself only began about two years ago. (Although once you taste these flavors, that fact will surprise you.) Everything about Perquín comes from Chef Bryan’s heart and creative mind. The name itself, “Perquín,” means “road to the fire,” which originates from the Lenca people, an indigenous community in Honduras and El Salvador. Every inch of Perquín pays beautiful tribute to Chef Bryan’s roots. From the artwork and music to the flavors, colors, and energy, stepping into Perquín feels like an intimate introduction to not only Chef Bryan’s world but the traditions that inspired him. An experience at Perquín feels personal because it truly IS.
The Menu
Perquín’s menu is rooted in Honduran flavors with many Latin American-inspired twists. Chef Bryan steers away from using the word “fusion” as Perquín is much more than that, going beyond simply mixing different styles of foods, but meticulously hand-picking and cross-utilizing some of the finest flavors into entirely new creations. He added, “Latin food is good enough and doesn’t need to be infused.”
Perquín has mastered the art of taking the beauty of Honduran food and elevating it as it’s never been seen before. Chef Bryan shared that there are not a lot of Honduran restaurants in the area, and he wants to show locals the best of what it can be by putting extreme detail into each component. He treated HG to a generous spread, giving us the full-on Perquín experience, with tastes of some of his favorite items on the menu while he shared stories of his deep connections to the flavors and his roots.
We tried everything from breakfast and pastries to coffee drinks, mocktails, soups, salads, and even ceviche. Our lineup consisted of: fresh Pastelitos de membrillo, a Salvadoran Quesadilla (which is gluten-free and made with rice flour), Bolivian Salteñas, a super fresh Fall Market Salad, ice-cold Ceviche, potato and chorizo Flautas, Coconut Soup, Plato Tipico (which is Chef Bryan’s take on a typical Central American breakfast), and an out-of-this-world homemade yogurt parfait made completely in-house.
Chef Bryan and his team make everything from scratch with both local and international ingredients. The care in each bite can be tasted without a doubt. Chef Bryan is inherently savvy and aims to utilize each ingredient to the max. He shared that he even collects the whey protein from his homemade yogurt to later use in smoothies, which patrons can order for breakfast.
Aside from the food, beverages are actually a huge part of Perquín’s repertoire. We sampled fresh carrot ginger juice, pomegranate lemonade, a non-alcoholic guava mojito, passionfruit juice, mulled cider, a coquito latte, and an ultra-refreshing pineapple cucumber mint juice. Being a BYOB restaurant, Perquín understood the assignment when it came to creating the perfect mixer or mocktail base. (So be sure to add this to your list of mocktail stops during Dry January this year.)
So whether you’re stopping in for a quick coffee, juice, grab-and-go breakfast, or are looking to dine in and relax over a warm bowl of soup or a freshly prepared ceviche, Perquín’s cozy and colorful restaurant space is ideal to satiate just about any craving on your mind with impressive, bold flavors to match.
Visiting Perquín
Perquín is located in the heart of the Paulus Hook neighborhood in Jersey City at 84 ½ Morris Street. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 AM-8:00 PM, Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM-9:00 PM, and Sundays from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM.
Patrons can also order delivery via Toast, dine in, or take out any time. For more updates, events, and new menu items, be sure to follow along with Perquín and Chef Bryan on Instagram.
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